1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an action game device which receives input of instructions from a player and performs control in such a manner that prescribed actions are performed on a screen, in accordance with the input instructions.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, action games are known wherein a user (operator of the game device) is able to undergo a simulated experience of a sport, such as soccer, or the like. In an action game of this kind, player characters belonging to the same team are controlled by the user, and the user's main objective is to beat an opposing team.
In an action game of this kind modelled on soccer, with movement of the soccer ball, a player character of the same team who is near to the ball is selected by the game device, and by using a prescribed controller, the user gives an instruction to that player character near the ball. By repeating instructions to the player character near the ball, via the controller, the user can cause the ball to be passed between player characters of the same team, whilst avoiding the player characters of the opposing team operated by the game device, and ultimately, the user can attempt a shot at goal.
The controller used in an action game of this kind is a controller which is used, for example, to instruct the player character in possession of the ball (selected by the game device) to pass the ball to a home player character, or to instruct the player character to take a shot at goal, the user being able to adjust the flight distance and speed of the ball, and the like, by means of the detected time period for which the buttons provided on the controlled are depressed in giving the instruction.
However, if the ball flight distance, speed, and the like, is adjusted by detecting the time period for which buttons are depressed, as in a prior art controller as described above, then the operations performed by the user will needlessly take a long time compared to the real-time characteristics demanded in order to reproduce a soccer game.
In other words, since a game device using a prior art controller determines the ball flight distance, speed, and the like, according to the button depression time period, and the time period coinciding with the depressing of the buttons is divided off, thereby changing the motion of the player character in possession of the ball, then a period of time is required after the user starts to depress the button until an input value corresponding to the button depression time period is detected, and hence the user requires a needlessly long period of time to give a pass or shoot instruction, or the like, compared to real-time characteristics required to reproduce a soccer game. Thereby, the user is prevented from experiencing a simulated soccer game with the sensations of an actual player.